All posts filed under: world travel

Originally posted on from swerve of shore: A lot of expats and travelers in Southeast Asia like to rag on Singapore. They say it’s too clean, too orderly. It’s boring and polite and polished. Nothing but soft edges. But I’ve always thought criticisms like that said more about the person than the place. Singapore–like everywhere else in the world–is largely what you make of it. It’s a complex and complicated place, capable of being just about anything. Little India on a Sunday is chaotic and wonderful, with energy pulsating through the crowded streets. Chinatown fills up with old men playing chess and gossiping as they sit idly about. Hawker centers dish out world class cuisine day and night. Locals and tourists alike browse through the Gardens by the Bay and the old colonial promenades downtown, and at night restaurants, cocktail bars, speakeasies, and clubs all come alive until the early hours. I’ve been back and forth to Singapore several times this year, and I haven’t once had to repeat a single night out. There’s always…

Originally posted on Thoughts, Tales, and Whatnot: While out on my morning walk/jog, I chanced on this view and couldn’t help but marvel at the cloud-filled sky. Usually, our skies are just shades of blue with a scattering of cottony clouds here and there. Here’s a zoomed-in shot. I actually had to wade into the waters to take the above, but I had no regrets. The scenery looked so pretty! I even stopped my morning routine and just lounged around while enjoying the serene views. This one’s taken on the roadway fronting Galapagos Beach. The clouds here weren’t so defined, but I loved how the palm trees reflected on the still lagoon waters. On my way back to my room, my view of a cloud-filled sky was just as pronounced from the back lobby. Photos taken at Plantation Bay Resort and Spa using a Samsung Galaxy Note 5, which by the way is now my favorite mobile camera because it takes photos in wider angles than my iPhone 6.

Originally posted on Run Adventurouslee: Many of my friends and followers have asked me over the past few months how I started planning my trip around the world. My trip started off with my decision to volunteer abroad somewhere. I started looking up volunteer abroad programs, and came across International Volunteer Head Quarters, and decided that they seemed like the best volunteer program to go through. IVHQ had a lot of countries and programs to apply for, and I wanted to try and do programs that were more related to what I went to school for (Environmental Science). All of this research started in April 2015 and originally was just going to be a two week trip. I applied for an Environmental volunteer program based out of Italy for 2 weeks, was super excited to do it and put down my registration fee to ensure my spot – only to find out that they just changed the program length to a minimum of 4 weeks. At that time, I only planned on taking 2 weeks…

Originally posted on The 9 to 5 Wanderer: Istanbul’s Spice Bazaar is a foodie’s dream come true. The covered market is lined with vendors selling spices, teas, dried fruits, and Turkish desserts. Mounds of jewel colored spices and teas line the walls of the market, and dried clusters of herbs and loofahs are strung up from the ceilings. The different aromas create an intoxicating scent that wafts through the narrow alleys of the bazaar. Sold by the kilo, “love teas” promise to serve as an aphrodisiac, “relaxing teas” to destress. There are also a variety of more conventional teas such as jasmine tea and black teas, for the less adventurous. The carefully formed mountains of spices include pure spices like saffron, cumin, and oregano, as well as “chicken spice”, “meat spice” and “salad spice” blends. (What is salad spice?) The Spice Bazaar also sells a number of sweets, dried fruits, and nuts. We bought some chicken spice and Turkish tea from one shopkeeper, and then from a smiling Syrian man who had been working at the Spice…

Originally posted on travelux: Mumbai is one of the most populated cities in the world and the biggest city in India in general. Before 1996, the official name of the city was Bombay, which is the name most people living there still prefer. Mumbai is definitely a wide-spread city and depending on where you stay, there are many things to see. Our city review of Mumbai gives you an impression of the most visited and popular spots in the city! Find more content about Mumbai on our city page! Admittedly, our planning may not have been ideal as we only had one day effectively in Mumbai. Getting around with Uber was our motto, which worked out so-so. Depending on the English skills of the drivers, they sometimes found us, sometimes not. In the end, this cost us a lot of time, but hey make the best of it! Walking along Marine Drive Marine Drive is right perfect for strolling around as we were able to enjoy skyline views of the Indian city! Walking is something rather…

Originally posted on The Picky Eater Travels: I recently went to Kent Falls located in Kent, Connecticut with my friend, and I visit here about 2 times a year in the warmer months. However, with all the nice weather recently I decided to be daring and visit during February. Looking back at it, that might have been a bit of a mistake. First of all, there was ice all around where the falls was so you couldn’t walk directly to the bottom of the falls unless you want to look like a penguin sliding on your stomach all the way to the falls. Even some of the stone steps were covered in ice, but it made it a little easier with a hand rail there to hold on to. And lastly, I almost got lost in the woods because of all the rain recently there was mud everywhere on the other side of the trail so it made it difficult to spot the trail or to even cross it. However, this seems like something that…

TRAVELLING THE WORLD SOLO Moving my home base from Adelaide to Darwin was something that happened very quickly and something I did for many reasons. Darwin is literally on the other side of the country from Adelaide and the two cities are worlds apart. Darwin is as close to Singapore as it is to Adelaide and as a result – it is a total melting pot of culture. So what prompted the change? I have felt the need for a long term sea change for years now. Adelaide is a wonderful city, but to me it felt stagnant and monotonous, like nothing could ever really surprise me. My ultimate goal is to work with MSF (Doctors Without Borders) and with the Royal Darwin Hospital being the closest tertiary hospital for an enormous catchment area spanning three states, numerous islands and many remote communities – I knew it would be the place to really get… View original post 651 more words

Originally posted on The Finicky Cynic: Hey, there! Welcome back to the second installment of my travels during this February vacation! After an awesome (and also alcohol-filled) weekend in Bordeaux (liked that alliteration that I did there?) 😉 it was time for me to leave and head on to other wonderful destinations in Europe. My next stop was an afternoon in Pau, a smaller city located about two hours from Bordeaux, near the border of France and Spain. I had chosen to pass through this place, just because I knew two people who had studied there and have heard good things about it. Was glad that I went, because it was gorgeous. Took a BlaBlaCar there from Bordeaux (*side note: my driver was female and incredibly cute). 😉 Arrived there close to noon, and unfortunately to bad weather; I didn’t know that rain could be so vicious, even in southwest France! I waited in the train station for the rain to at least lighten up before I went exploring- after all, I only had a few…

Originally posted on Little Brantley Abroad: Imagine turquoise water so clear you can see straight to the bottom, coral in neon green and bright purple, and sunsets that pierce the sky with pink rays of light…well that pretty much sums up Hamilton Island. The main reason we booked a trip to Hamilton was to visit the Great Barrier Reef, but it turns out the island was pretty incredible itself. Here’s my guide to planning the perfect trip to Hamilton Island: Booking: When researching this trip for my parents and I, there were quite a few different options for the Great Barrier Reef ranging from where to stay, how to get there, and what to see. We chose to stay on the gorgeous Hamilton Island (which is part of the famous Whitsunday Islands). The easiest way to book everything on the island is through their website. I didn’t know this at the time, but the Hamilton Island company owns and runs everything on the island- making it super easy to book everything. Arrival: The flight was not…

Originally posted on travelux: San Francisco is one of those cities in which it will never get boring and this not just because it is big. San Francisco simply has a lot to offer when it comes to things to do and see. Whether it is the Golden Gate Bridge or China Town, Pier 39 or Lombard Street: There’s always something to discover. So, here are our probably most popular top things to do and see in San Francisco! Cross the Golden Gate Bridge Apart from being considered as “the” symbol for the United States of America next to the Statue of Liberty in New York, the Golden Gate Bridge San Francisco is the landmark of the whole Bay Area San Francisco. So, crossing the Golden Gate Bridge is a real must-do! Moreover, the Golden Gate Bridge has been declared one of the Wonders of a Modern World. Ride a Cable Car The Cable Car System of San Francisco is the very last one which is being operated on a manual basis. Of the once…